Long-term solution for attracting visitors to Sudbury vital to town's future prosperity, says councillor

A long-term solution must be sought to ensure Sudbury’s future remains prosperous, according to a town councillor.

During a virtual meeting of Sudbury Town Council’s leisure, environment and highways committee, Oliver Forder urged the authority to continue exploring financially viable projects.

“To ensure we emerge successfully from this crisis, the time for investment in the town is now,” he said. “We must, therefore, not only concern ourselves with present difficulties, but act to achieve a successful future.”

Emphasising the importance that visitors are offered an enticing experience, Cllr Forder said: “It seems to me inevitable that provision of services, sales of non-consumer goods and events, such as specialist markets, will be increasingly at the core of every successful town centre.

“It will be essential to have a pleasant environment to attract customers.”

Cllr Forder said he was optimistic that the town could reach its potential.

“What I see is not a shabby parking lot, but the possibility, indeed the necessity, for a beautifully paved and greened area, a home to multifarious activities, bustling on every day, not only market days, and presided over by a regenerated cultural centre at the magnificent St Peter’s, attracting shoppers from Sudbury and beyond,” he said.

“Not only is this what was set out in the Vision of Sudbury, but this will also give a modern expression to the original concept of Elizabeth de Burgh, when she laid out the town centre to be a bustling market place – similar to the bustling piazzas she had witnessed on her trips to the European mainland.”

Urging the authority to remain proactive in its approach to redeveloping the area, he added: “Now is the time to take immediate steps to realise this vision to ensure the continuing prosperity of Sudbury’s town centre.”